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Minneapolis Burns After Police Brutality Leads to Another Death

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The normally quiet city of Minneapolis burned on the night of May 28 as protesters expressed their anger and frustration over another black man, George Floyd, needlessly losing his life in police custody. Protests raged across the country as decades of political inaction in the face of disproportionate violence against the black community reached a breaking point.

Reflecting the divided nature of the country, US President Donald Trump lashed out on Twitter, calling the protesters “thugs” before the platform flagged his tweet for inciting violence. With little political recourse left to the black community, the death of George Floyd seems to have been a catalyst for mass protests.

Death of George Floyd

On the afternoon of May 26, Minneapolis police arrested the 46-year-old security guard for resembling a suspect in a forgery case. Footage of the arrest shows Floyd calmly complying as police led him away in handcuffs. However, another video, taken by an onlooker minutes later, shows the handcuffed man with his face on the street and a police officer on top of him, his knee on Floyd’s throat as he gasped for air.

“I can’t breathe,” Floyd repeatedly wheezed. Stunned witnesses called for the white officer to lift his knee from Floyd’s throat as he clearly struggled under the brute force. The officer continued to apply pressure on Floyd’s throat as he slowly passed out, and as he softly cried out for his mother in the final moments of his life.

Minutes later, another policeman briefly checked Floyd’s pulse as his lifeless body lay on the pavement, with the policeman’s knee still on his throat.

George Floyd died. The man that his family and friends described as a gentle giant, a man who had come to Minneapolis to improve his life through hard work, died needlessly on the cold pavement.

 

Weak response

The fatal act of police brutality triggered the usual empty rhetoric and light-handed responses from local and federal officials. The four police officers involved were fired, but not arrested. Politicians “dared” to call Floyd’s death murder, but the mock outrage was too little, too late for America’s black community.

The policemen responsible for Floyd’s death have yet to receive any charges, with prosecutors saying on May 28 that charges may never materialize at all.

As with previous cases of a similar nature, right-wing media continue to highlight any potential reason to justify the police officers’ violence, while left-wing politicians scream injustice while failing to propose concrete systematic changes. Instead, US media is focusing on the expression of anger and desperation that emanated from the crowds of protestors in Minneapolis, accusing them of disproportionate violence and “looting.”

One murder too many

Over recent years dozens of unarmed non-violent black people have been killed with little regard by those who are supposed to “serve and protect,” and the black community in the US appears to have had enough.

With no political action on the horizon and emotions running high, the only outlet that remained was to protest. Riot police met the protests with more violence as officers fired teargas at the demonstrators. The police response did nothing but raise tension, resulting in nightly protests that led to an empty, vandalized police station and shops set alight.

The city of Minneapolis resembled a war zone today with police in heavy riot gear, and protests have gone national with large gatherings in Colorado, New York, and California. The governor of Minnesota has now activated the National Guard and declared a state of emergency.

2020 US Elections Already Reshaping the Middle East

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The presidential elections in the United States are still months away, but the MENA region is already going through changes directly linked to the event. US President Donald Trump appears eager to use US foreign policy to distract from a COVID-19 response that has so far resulted in more than 100,000 deaths in the richest country on Earth.

The fate of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Palestine could depend on what the current US president is willing to do in order to win his reelection campaign. The early signs appear to be worrying:

Withdrawal in Afghanistan

The country of Afghanistan is still embroiled in a violent struggle between the Taliban and the national government, but the US military is rapidly withdrawing after it signed a unilateral peace agreement with the Taliban. For Trump, the country appears to present an opportunity to fulfill his 2016 election promise to bring troops home from the Middle East.

Ever since, the Taliban has avoided targeting US forces and instead can focus all its efforts on the national government. Negotiations between the warring parties have been made more difficult because the earlier US-Taliban agreement promised the release of 15,000 captured Taliban members. With no prisoners left to trade, the agreement effectively took away the government’s leverage in future negotiations.

Afghanistan is anything but stable, despite a current lull in violence following the Eid al Fitr festival. A rapid withdrawal of US forces, mixed with a $1 billion cut in aid to the country, could spell doom for efforts to realize democracy, gender equality, and peace in Afghanistan. The Pentagon has offered several withdrawal proposals to Trump, one of which aims to withdraw most troops by election day.

Posturing in Iraq and Iran

In Iraq the sentiment appears to be the polar opposite. Following a decision of the Iraqi parliament in January, the country would like the US to withdraw as soon as possible. But Iraq has become the battlefield on which Iran and the US seem to want to fight out their differences. Rocket attacks on US bases are met with retaliatory airstrikes as the cycle of violence continues.

The importance of Iraq in the posturing between Iran and the US has become a major threat to Iraqi sovereignty and has turned the fate of the country into a political win-or-lose in American politics.

Neighboring Iran is facing increasingly crippling sanctions that compound with the local coronavirus epidemic into a toxic mix of perpetual suffering for common Iranians.

The need to prove strength heading up to the election through hostile posturing against Iran has led to damaging actions. US officials are going to extreme lengths to try to hide even the smallest sign of constructive dialogue between the two countries.

Annexation in Palestine

The biggest impact the 2020 elections could have on the Middle East will likely materialize in early July. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the current moment the most “historic opportunity” to expand Israeli borders since 1948. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo made a physical visit to Israel, uncommon during the pandemic, for conversations that “required a face-to-face meeting,” according to Pompeo.

Israeli politicians are now openly discussing the invasion and annexation of swaths of the West Bank in what the UN calls “destructive unilateral action.” Netanyahu has gone as far as saying, on May 28, that Palestinians in annexed territories would effectively become stateless.

Besides the blatant illegality of the act according to international humanitarian law and the UN, Netanyahu and Trump both appear to see annexation as a political win. Following the controversial Jerusalem embassy move, Trump said, “The Jewish people appreciate it, but the evangelicals appreciate it more than the Jews, which is incredible.”

“Allowing” the annexation of part of the West Bank is no more than a political win for Trump, galvanizing his base and outraging those that his followers most despise.

Without the pain of US “boots on the ground,” Trump will not only be able to claim a military victory. He might be able to claim the mantle of a wartime president during the elections that could reshape the Middle East.

Regardless of who eventually wins the election, Trump’s machinations to distract from his country’s COVID-19 death toll could result in irreparable damage at home and abroad

New UAE Virtual Art Exhibition Privileges Gender Equality

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The exhibition, “A Century in Flux,” is a selection of works from the Barjeel Art Foundation’s contemporary collection that highlights 20th century Arab modernist art and confronts gender disparity. Although coronavirus restrictions are starting to ease in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the online exhibition gives modern art fans an opportunity to enjoy the collection from the comfort and safety of home.

Art enthusiasts from around the world can virtually “walk” through the collection, currently on display at the Sharjah Art Museum. The opportunity allows “visitors” to acquaint themselves with artists and works, some well known others unheard of, which form the canon of modernist Arab art from 1885-1985. The exhibition reflects the collector Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi’s interest in the ways that Arab artists have responded to historical events and to their corresponding impact on human life over the course of a tumultuous century.

“A Century in Flux” also seeks to “address notions of institutional representation and, in particular, to confront the question of gender disparity in the art world and its influence on the writing and teaching of art history,” the Barjeel Foundation says.  

Shining a light on female Arab artists

The 126 works on display are evenly sourced from male and female artists, an attempt to address the “disproportionately low percentage” of works by woman artists displayed in galleries worldwide. Female artists from the Arab world are no exception, and although many of the women whose works are exhibited in “A Century in Flux” were very active in the 20th century, little is known about them.

“We felt like it’s really a shame that these histories are not better known – they’re sort of erased. These women were written out of history and we wanted to discuss why this happened,” the Barjeel Art Foundation curator, Suheyla Takesh said in an interview with Al Arabiya English.

According to Takesh, there is no lack of quality works by female artists, but the combination of unconscious societal biases and structural impediments, from education to family expectations, has pushed them out of the limelight. 

“If we go way back in history, the very first art school that was opened in the region was in Egypt in 1908. At that point, they only admitted men. Women were being admitted to that school nearly 30-40 years later.”  

“A lot of times, for women back then, who were active in their youth, once they had a family, it would sort of be unusual for a woman to continue practicing,” she said.

One of the female artists showcased is Syrian modernist painter Leila Nseir, whose works explore mortality and working-class life. Her 1978 work, “The Martyr (The Nation)” is the poster-painting for the exhibition. Despite the main subject being male, a strong female presence carries the work. 

Nseir was born in Latakia, on the Mediterranean coast and learned her craft at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo during the “swinging sixties.” Three of her paintings are featured in “A Century in Flux,” providing an important reminder of Syria’s vibrant, cosmopolitan art history and the war-torn nation’s talented women.   

Telling Arab World stories through Art 

It is not only female artists, but 20th century modern art from the Arab world in general that has struggled for recognition. Barjeel Foundation founder Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi said he began the collection to fill a gap in the historical repository of art from across the region, and to expand the understanding of the Arab World. 

Al Qassemi, who rose to prominence for his activism during the 2011 Arab Spring, is now an Arab art evangelist and educator. He believes it is an important way of sharing the region’s stories with the world.  

“The story of the Arab world is one of great complexity—yes, it includes sad and unfortunate chapters, but it also is full of creativity, hope, and perseverance,” he told the Journal of Middle Eastern Policy and Politics.  

“I teach a 13-week class on creativity in the Arab world and the Middle East, and my only regret is that I don’t have enough time to explore all the different facets of this creativity as well as all the countries in the region,”  

”When the world is better acquainted with our human story, I believe that will contribute to a greater understanding, appreciation, and respect for my region.”  

“A Century in Flux” is on display physically and virtually at the Sharjah Art Museum until August 2020.

Read also: Saudi Artist Shoots to Fame After MBS Showcases Work in Online Meeting

Algeria: How COVID-19 Threatens an Economy Already in Bad Shape

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When the deadly novel coronavirus reached North Africa, Algeria had to close down like the rest of the world. Covid19 forced ‘’Hirak’’ protesters to halt their anti-regime demonstrations: Containing the threat of the virus took precedence over all other political and social objectives.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Algeria reached 8113 on May 23, with 592 deaths, making Algeria one of the hardest-hit countries in Africa. By the end of May, it had become clear that the impact of the pandemic is not limited to the threat it posed on the country’s public health.

As countries shut down and travel, both domestic and international, plummeted, demand for oil fell sharply, dragging prices to a historic low.

‘’This is a very bad timing for the Algerian economy’’, said Alexandre Kateb, lecturer at Sciences Po, during an interview with France24. ‘’The collapse of oil prices occurred after the country had already faced an economic recession since 2019’’.

Kateb said that while the government’s decision to slash state functional spending by a half is certainly a necessary policy, in practice it remains hard to implement it.

‘’Half or more than half of this budget covers employees salaries. The other half are subsidies and social transfers’’ including support for the health sector, certain food items, and retirement programs. These transfers and subsidies, as Kateb explained, are unlikely to be affected by cuts.

The only remaining option, according to Kateb, is to procure outside funding, especially if the country wants to avoid sparking currency inflation by coining and printing more money. 

Tightening the belt

On March 22 the Algerian government announced austerity measures that included reducing the functioning budget by 30% and freezing projects in most public sectors, excluding the  health and education sectors.

State oil company Sonatrach also decided to cut its expenditures for this year by a half, from an initial $14 billion to $7 billion.

Government imports are expected to see a $10 billion decrease compared to last year, from $41 billion to $31 billion.

The fall of oil prices to historic low, below $ 30, left the government with no choice. The “threat of an unprecedented financial crisis,”  as RFI succinctly put it, dictated an even more drastic move.

In early May the Algerian president ordered the state budget to be reduced by 50%. A revised version of the 2020 budget law anticipated that oil revenues would reach only $20 billion, instead of the $37 billion anticipated by the initial budget law.

Algeria’s current financial hardships seem even worse when put into context. The decline of oil prices in 2014 triggered a gradual drying up of the country’s currency reserves. 

Six years ago Algeria’s reserves topped €162 billion. By the end of 2019 they had relapsed to €57 billion.

Recurrent Crisis, Repeated Promises

The austerity measures, according to experts, are motivated by a need to contain the country’s deficit, currently leveled at $15 billion.

The socio-economic impact of COVID-19 prompted the government to seek ways to alleviate the burden on citizens, thus adding to its own. 

The government committed to cancel income tax for people who earn less than DZD 30,000 ($255). It also raised the minimum wage by 11%, from DZD 18,000 ($150) to DZD 20,000 (%170). 

In April the government also announced it would give direct grants to struggling families, adding a €50 on top of the €30 provided as part of annual government support during the month of Ramadan.

While it could be argued the money allocated may not be much of a help amid a situation characterized by stubborn inflation and soaring food prices, it still meant more government spending.

The current crisis brought to light the never-ending issue of Algeria’s dependency on oil. Energy accounts for over 95% of its exports. The fluctuation of oil prices has been like a sword hanging over the country’s economy. 

To put an end to this fragile situation, the government had to find ways to diversify the economy. In the months and years that followed the 2014 crash of oil prices, former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika promised a shift to an economy with multiple sources of revenue.

However, he failed to deliver on his promises. Today, his successor is vowing to tap into other natural resources. Algeria, he said, is rich with gold, uranium ,and diamonds.

Tebboune said it did not make sense ‘“these resources were not exploited”, adding that Algeria, if need be, will strike cooperation deals with other countries to exploit its resources.

The government’s past record unfortunately casts a shadow on how far it will really act upon these new promises.

Squandering National Wealth

In February 2019, former president Bouteflika’s vying for a fifth term, after 20 years in power, triggered a massive protest movement that later on became known as Hirak. . 

In addition to opposing Bouteflika’s candidacy despite his deteriorating health, Algerians were fed up with a “corrupt” ruling elite who they accused of squandering the country’s wealth.

According to Algerian economist Makhlouf Mhenni, Bouteflika’s biggest failure was that of not freeing Algeria from the shackles of oil dependency.“The blow to his policy came from a place  he did not expect: the “economy,” Mhenni was quoted as saying by the Arab Weekly.

The fact that Algeria has been economically in bad shape for a long time stands in contrast with it being a resource-rich country. “Where has all the money gone?’’, Al Jazeera’s Adrian Finighan asked Taieb Hafsi of HEC Montreal.

“The money has been very poorly used. It has been a highly centralized and politicized economic management’’, replied the Algerian professor.

Hafsi explained how the ruling elite sought to maintain power through “wasteful social support” programs as a substitute to its lacking legitimacy. “Bread and energy are paid about 10% of their value”, he said.

Rather than using the huge oil revenues to build an economy that is diversified, oil generated, what Hafsi and many other observers call, a “rent-seeking” culture.

This culture became a hindrance to Algeria’s emancipation from an economic system that is highly vulnerable to the fluctuation of oil prices.

As a result, oil became to be seen as a “curse” and not necessarily a blessing.

 

Read also: NGOs: Algeria Endangers Lives by Punishing Free Speech Amid Pandemic

China and India Mobilize Troops Following Border Clashes

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Scuffles between Indian and Chinese troops in the Ladakh region on May 5 and May 9 have increased tensions between the two nuclear superpowers. Soldiers engaged in non-lethal skirmishes, throwing stones and fighting on the disputed border between the two countries.

The clashes between troops highlighted the simmering disagreement over the borders that are now seeing thousands of troops mobilized on each side of the disputed line of control. Satellite imagery revealed a build-up of troops, heavy machinery, and vehicles in the high-altitude region.

China

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is moving thousands of troops into what India considers disputed territory. The former Indian ambassador to China, Ashok Kantha told the Guardian he considers the moves anything but routine. “This escalation is serious” Kantha said, “I don’t think this is just a localized incident.”

Unlike normal maneuvering in the region, Kantha sees a difference in recent troop mobilization, saying “China’s behaviour is more aggressive this time, backed up by a fairly large number of troops, which is not typical of this border where troop levels tend to be low on both sides.”

What is motivating the escalation is still unclear, according to the former ambassador. “it could be a territorial claim or part of a wider messaging to India that they need to be more mindful of China on sensitive geopolitical issues, he said”

In recent months India has been building roads and airstrips near the disputed line of control which might have prompted a response from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government.

India

India’s President, Narendra Modi held a meeting with his security team on Tuesday May 26. Since then, the Indian army has moved several infantry battalions to what it calls “operational alert areas” on the border.

The Guardian reported that India’s external affairs ministry is blaming China for the increased tensions, saying it is “the Chinese side that has recently undertaken activity hindering India’s normal patrolling patterns, the Indian side has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management.”

India’s former Chief of Staff, retired general Prakash Malik told India TV “India is in a position to give a befitting reply to China. The PLA should not hold any illusions about Indian Army’s battle readiness. We are not the army from 1962. I am fully confident of our defense capabilities,” while reiterating that “chances of war are highly unlikely.”

Increased tensions

The influx of troops has led to worries that the two most populous countries on earth could once again clash like they did in 1962 when the two nations fought the short but devastating Sino-Indian war that caused over two thousand casualties in a single month. Fighting in the “roof of the world” was especially bloody as the infantry clashed in a region too remote for aerial or naval support.

Similar to 1962, it appears the Chinese military has roughly three times as many troops in the area compared to India, according to the India Times. The contentious Galwan river region that was a flash-point in 1962 is seeing an increase in heavy vehicles and mobile artillery as both sides stake their claim.

With the Chinese blaming Indian infrastructure construction on its side of the border as the point of escalation, India considers the PLA’s response in building-up troop levels as the cause of tension. US President Donald Trump has offered to act as an intermediary to diffuse tensions, but India and China both expressed confidence in their bilateral channels to avert a direct conflict between the two nuclear states.

Netflix’s First Saudi thriller “Whispers” to Air in June

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The Saudi thriller and drama series “Whispers” will be available on Netflix for 183 million users in 190 countries worldwide from June 11, the streaming service announced yesterday. The eight episode series is Netflix’s first original Saudi show and was produced by the Saudi Entertainment Phenomena Company “EP Saudi.”

“Whispers” charts the story of a family navigating the pitfalls of launching a new business against the backdrop of the recent death of patriarch Hassan. The storyline dredges up Hassan’s mysterious past. The show is directed by Saudi female filmmaker, Hana Alomair, and stars popular actor Abdul Mohsen Alnimer.

“Whispers” is a Saudi-produced dramatic thriller series that offers a new take on storytelling and marks my first time working with the great actor, Abdul Mohsen Alnimer,” Alomair said. 

“The series also features several unconventional female characters who truly embody the reasons why this project is so close to my heart,” she added. 

The series boasts a promising cast of female talents including Shaimaa Al Fadl, Mysoon Alruwaily, Elham Ali, Nada Tawhid, Norah Alanbar, and Leila Arabi, who play alongside actors Ali Al Sharif, Osama Al Qass, and Mohamed Ali. 

“Whispers” is the latest title to be added to Netflix’s growing stable of Khaleeji and Saudi options available worldwide through the streaming service. Content director for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey Nuha Eltayeb said Netflix was thrilled to bring “great Arabic content” to a global audience.

“We believe that great stories can come from anywhere and be loved  everywhere. ‘Whispers’ is a fast-paced drama and every episode holds a new clue that will keep viewers wanting more,” Eltayeb said in a press release.

Read also: Saudis Pioneer Electronic Sports in the MENA Region

Saudi Arabia Reopens Economy as 1815 New COVID-19 Cases Emerge

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On Thursday, May 28, the Saudi kingdom officially started the gradual reopening of its economy. The country has suffered much from the combined misery of lockdowns and travel bans during a historic drop in oil prices, for which it was partly responsible.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen also has little good news to report while the results of Saudi actions to increase its market share in global oil markets remain foggyu.

Amid the geopolitical and economic instability, Saudi Arabia is still seeing the number of coronavirus cases increase. The country is the second worst-hit in the Middle-East, after Iran. Saudi Arabia now has had 78,541 cases after an increase of 1,815 was reported on Wednesday, May 27. The government reported 14 new deaths, bringing the Kingdom’s death-toll to 425 while 15,022 people have recovered.

Three-phase plan

In an effort to return the country to a state of normalcy, the government has proposed a gradual easing of restrictions through a three-phase plan. The country is currently in the first phase of the plan, which means its 24-hour curfew has expired and free movement in and between Saudi regions lifted between 6am and 3pm. Retail and wholesale stores are again permitted to operate within strict health guidelines to ensure social distancing and proper hygiene.

The second phase will commence on Sunday, May 31 when the curfew will be widened to allow movement from 6am to 8pm. Prayers will resume in mosques after being deserted throughout Ramadan and restaurants and cafes will reopen to the public. With transport restrictions lifted, people and goods will once again be allowed to flow freely within the country’s borders. The only painful restriction remaining is a ban on public gatherings of more than 50, meaning weddings and funerals will have to remain small in size.

On June 21, Saudi Arabia hopes to reach phase three, where it aims to return to normal life with few restrictions.

Mecca’s three phases

Mecca will see a more gradual approach to the lifting of measures. While the rest of the country will enter the second phase on Sunday May 31, Mecca will then enter phase one. Mosques will remain closed and 24-hour curfews continue until the rest of the country reaches phase three.

When restrictions are lifted across the country on June 21, Mecca will enter the second phase, allowing mosques to reopen, with exception of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, where only its imams and employees will be allowed to pray. Only when phase two has had the desired effect will restrictions in Mecca be lifted fully.

The extra caution applied to Mecca means Muslims hoping to make the Umrah or Hajj pilgrimage this year may have to wait for 2021. Saudi authorities have indicated a periodical review will determine when the religious will again be allowed to circle the Kaaba and fulfill their once-in-a-lifetime Islamic duty.

Hardline, Ex-Tehran Mayor Qalibaf Becomes Iran’s New Parliamentary Speaker

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Iranian state news reports that the Iranian Parliament elected Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf speaker with 230 out of 264 votes today. Qalibaf is a former Revolutionary Guard general and national police chief who was implicated in violent crack-downs on protests in 1999, and 2003 involving live fire. 

As speaker he will influence the Majlis’ (parliament) agenda and national political debate ‒although all parliamentary laws are subject to the ultimate approval of Khameini’s Guardian Council. The Majlis  also debates Iran’s national budget and can launch impeachment proceedings, something several newly elected MP’s have threatened President Rouhani with. 

Qalibraf will also sit on Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, alongside Rouhani, where he could have real influence on the country’s defense, foreign, and nuclear policies crafted by the Council.  

The hardliner is popular with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini and his new role as speaker could help catapult him into another presidential election.  

Qalibaf has unsuccessfully contested two presidential votes, and dropped out of the most recent one against moderate reformist Hassan Rouhani to avoid dividing the hardline vote. He rekindled his political career by running in the February 21 elections which were dominated by hardline and conservative candidates after the Guardian Council barred thousands of reformist candidates from running. 

The 58-year old politician served as mayor of Tehran for over a decade, but his tenure was not without controversy with him and his wife implicated in corruption allegations. Nevertheless, his high profile in Tehran has enabled Qalibaf to pursue grander national political ambitions, and it remains to be seen if they will stop with the speakership or morph into another try for the Presidency in 2021.

Read also: Politicians Gather for First Sitting of New Iranian Parliament

COVID-19 Plagues Sri Lankans Repatriated From Kuwait

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Health authorities identified a cluster of 156 COVID-19 cases amongst Sri Lankans repatriated from Kuwait, Sri Lankan officials said on Wednesday. The news comes two days after six members of a Kuwaiti ship that docked in Australia also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 

The Kuwaiti government paid for 460 unemployed Sri Lankans, many of whom were undocumented workers or visa over-stayers, to return home after the outbreak of COVID-19. A 51-year-old repatriated woman has already died from coronavirus. At least 155 others have tested positive so far, with more test results still to come.  

Sri Lankan health authorities are growing increasingly nervous about imported cases, as another plane-load of repatriates is set to arrive from Qatar later today.

“Our worry is imported cases,” health ministry Director Paba Palihawadana told AFP. 

“When they came here, they were already infected. We don’t have any infections reported from within our community in the past 28 days.”

Returnees are required to complete a 14-day quarantine period upon arrival. Another 38,000 Sri Lankans who reside abroad have registered to be repatriated. 

The South Asian nation of over 21.6 million has recorded only 1,319 infections and 10 fatalities to date, including the new imported cases from Kuwait. The Gulf state on the other hand, with its small population of 4.1 million, has recorded 23,267 coronavirus cases and 175 disease fatalities.  

Four Indian passengers, from a flight that returned 163 people to Hyderabad from Kuwait on May 10, have also tested positive for the virus. More imported cases are likely after Kuwait began the mammoth operation of repatriating 6,000 Indians working illegally in the country under a pardon plan that began on May 26. 

‘Al Kuwait’ Cluster

Meanwhile, it was revealed that crew members of a Kuwaiti-flagged livestock carrier tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The ship’s arrival and the subsequent discovery of a coronavirus cluster has caused ructions between Australia’s state and federal governments. 

The federal border security agency granted “Al Kuwait” permission to dock in the Western Australian port of Fremantle on May 20. The ship notified federal Australia’s Department of Agriculture that three crew members had elevated temperatures, who in turn passed the concerns on to the state of Western Australia’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre via email.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan criticized his federal counterpart, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud on Tuesday for allowing the ship to dock.   

The premier backed down from his initial comments today, saying he “did not have the information that I have now,” but maintained mistakes were made with the ship’s handling.

“There have clearly been some errors made all around. We can and must do better, and we will,” he said. 

Littleproud said McGowan’s comments were regrettable and maintained the Department of Agriculture followed all necessary health precautions. 

In addition to the six “Al Kuwait” crew members who initially tested positive for COVID-19, another 27 of the remaining crew have been moved into quarantine at a Perth hotel. 

Read also: COVID-19 Found in Crew of Kuwait Ship Docked in Australia

 

 

Turkish Studio Creates Global Gaming Sensation ‘Bannerlord’

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Taleworlds Entertainment, a small Turkish videogame developer, has surprised industry experts with its sudden success. The small indie developer created a smash hit in its newly-released “Bannerlord,” a videogame that provides positive perspectives on Arab culture. The studio’s previous titles had built an online cult following, but their new game is breaking records that are normally set by billion-dollar industry giants.

Rapid success

Taleworlds Entertainment started in 2005 as a hobby project that rapidly spiraled out of hand. Its founder, Armagan Yavuz had built “Mount & Blade,” an unpolished but innovative game. Mount & Blade surprisingly sold three million copies worldwide and resulted in an equally successful 2008 sequel and expansion packs that created a large cult following.

Taleworld’s dedicated fans had waited anxiously for over eight years as the developer worked on its new title “Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.” But not even the most committed fan could have expected its explosive success. When Taleworlds released an unfinished “early-access” version of the game in March, Bannerlord shot to the top of global rankings as the biggest videogame launch of 2020.

Within three hours of its launch, 145,000 people were playing the game, with 88% of all reviews positive even as bugs and incomplete content still littered the unfinished game.

The game’s unique look at history and the freedom granted to players in its “sandbox” format meant Bannerlord was beating out several multi-million dollar advertising campaigns. Within hours the game featured on lists next to industry standard-setting games such as Counterstrike, PUBG, and DOTA 2.


Andalusian and Abbasid-inspired architecture in-game

Fictionalized history

The game takes place in a lightly fictionalized version of the Middle Ages, featuring a variety of cultures from the era. The map resembles a fictional version of Europe, the MENA region, and Central Asia. It includes cultures that resemble versions of real-life historic cultures such as the Nords, Vikings, Byzantines, Mongols, and an Andalusian-Arab-inspired culture.

By using a slightly fictionalized version of the real world, the Turkish developer has avoided complaints over historical accuracy. It has also avoided controversies over religion or heritage while allowing players to explore different cultures. The game resembles the struggles around a post-Roman empire world including the fall of the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Golden Age.

The game is built as a “sandbox,” meaning the player is free to build their own story. As a “roleplaying game,” activities range from being a merchant, building a family, or the obligatory options to become either a warrior or general of large armies. The still incomplete game has already sparked hundreds of thousands of views, as well as generating followers for those willing to broadcast their adventures online.


Bannerlord is intended as a “sandbox” for gamers

Perspective on Arab culture

A game has an exceptional benefit in that its developer is based in the MENA region. The game provides a detailed, appropriate depiction of Andalusian-Arab culture where others have often depicted the region as violent and backward. As an example, the 2009 game “Empire Total War” made the entire North African region an unplayable pirate faction with no resources or strategic advantage while many other games solely depict Arab people as terrorists.

In Bannerlord, Arab culture is shown as a rich culture, based on trade, with impressive architecture and a distinct geographical advantage with its fictionalized Strait of Gibraltar and Anatolian Peninsula.

Selecting the Arab-inspired culture as the player’s birthplace gives a bonus to trade and organize caravans of camels across the region. The region features mock Arabic towns using names such as Mahloul (solution in Arabic), amid hundreds of other Arabic references and nomenclature, while Mamluk and Abbasid military units also make an appearance.


The ‘MENA region’ in Bannerlord’s fictionalized world

Inspiring cultural exchanges

The Arab-inspired culture appears to be popular with gamers. Several Youtube channels that broadcast game-play as Arab merchants or adventures have garnered hundreds of thousands of views.

Enthusiastic Arab Bannerlord fans such as Youtube gaming figure “Simo” are already using the game to occasionally explain Arabic names, highlight links with real-life culture, and give advice on how to pronounce Arabic words.

The developer’s efforts to provide a detailed and unbiased perspective into medieval Arab life could help young gamers build a better understanding of real history and provide a fun way to become familiar with the basics of historic Arabic culture.

For young gamers across the world, the game represents an entertaining way to experience some of the splendor of Al Andalus and provides a glimpse into the era of the Abbasids.

With Bannerlord still under development, the success of this Turkish export can only increase and possibly provide some positive cultural exchange in a time when mutual understanding is more important than ever.


Bannerlord offers potential for gamers to broaden their horizons